U.S. patent application number 10/474706 was filed with the patent office on 2004-06-10 for electromotive furniture drive for displacing parts of a piece of furniture in relation to each other.
Invention is credited to Schneider, Johannes.
Application Number | 20040108192 10/474706 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 7681183 |
Filed Date | 2004-06-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040108192 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Schneider, Johannes |
June 10, 2004 |
Electromotive furniture drive for displacing parts of a piece of
furniture in relation to each other
Abstract
The invention relates to an electromotive furniture drive for
displaying parts of a piece of furniture in relation to each other.
Said drive comprises at least two drive units, each drive unit
being associated with at least one part of the piece of furniture,
in order to displace the same. The furniture drive also comprises a
hand switch (2) for actuating the drive units. According to the
invention, said hand switch (2) comprises a first operating surface
(14), by which means the drive units pertaining to the furniture
drive can be successively selected in a first pre-determined order.
The inventive furniture drive can be easily operated and has a high
level of comfort of use.
Inventors: |
Schneider, Johannes;
(Kirchlengern, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Robert W Becker & Associates
Suite B
707 Highway 66 East
Tijeras
NM
87059
US
|
Family ID: |
7681183 |
Appl. No.: |
10/474706 |
Filed: |
October 9, 2003 |
PCT Filed: |
April 5, 2002 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP02/03779 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
200/296 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01H 9/181 20130101;
H01H 25/041 20130101; H01H 25/008 20130101; H01H 9/0214 20130101;
A47C 20/041 20130101; A47C 31/008 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
200/296 |
International
Class: |
H01H 009/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 10, 2001 |
DE |
101 18 015 |
Claims
1. Electromotive furniture drive for the displacement of parts of a
piece of furniture relative to one another, with at least two drive
units, whereby each drive unit is associated with at least one part
of the piece of furniture for displacing the same, and with a hand
switch for the activation of the drive units, characterized in
that, the hand switch (2) is provided with a first operating
surface (14), by means of which the drive units of the furniture
drive can be successively selected in a first predetermined
sequence.
2. Furniture drive according to claim 1, characterized by a second
operating surface (16) and a third operating surface (18), each of
which has respectively associated therewith a control function of
the respectively selected drive unit.
3. Furniture drive according to claim 2, characterized by a fourth
operating surface (20), by means of which the drive units can be
successively selected in a second sequence that is the reverse of
the first sequence.
4. Furniture drive according to claims 1 and 3, characterized in
that the first operating surface (14) and the fourth (20) operating
surface are disposed on the same control element (6).
5. Furniture drive according to claim 4, characterized in that the
control element (6) is tiltably mounted about a first tilt axis
(10), whereby the first operating surface (14) and the fourth
operating surface (20) are oppositely disposed on the control
element (6) relative to the first tilt axis (10) in such a way that
by tilting the control element (6) to one side and by actuating the
first operating surface (14), the drive units can be successively
selected in the first predetermined sequence, and by tilting the
control element (6) to the other side and by actuating the fourth
operating surface (20), the drive units can be successively
selected in the second predetermined sequence.
6. Furniture drive according to claim 2, characterized in that the
control function associated with the second operating surface (16)
is a displacement of the part of the piece of furniture that is to
be displaced via the respectively selected drive out of a starting
position in the direction toward an end position of the
displacement movement, and the control function associated with the
third operating surface (18) is a displacement of the part of the
piece of furniture that is to be displaced via the respectively
selected drive in the opposite direction.
7. Furniture drive according to claim 2, characterized in that the
second operating surface (16) and the third operating surface (18)
are disposed on the same control element (6) on which the first
operating surface (14) is disposed.
8. Furniture drive according to claims 5 and 7, characterized in
that the control element (6) is tiltably mounted about a second
tilt axis (12), whereby the second operating surface (16) and the
third operating element (18) are oppositely disposed relative to
the second tilt axis (12) such that by tilting the control element
(6) to one side of the second tilt axis (12), and by actuating the
second operating surface (16), the control function that is
associated with this operating surface (16) can be triggered, and
by tilting the control element (6) to the other side of the second
tilt axis (12), and by actuating the third operating surface (18),
the control function associated with this operating surface (18)
can be triggered.
9. Furniture drive according to claim 8, characterized in that the
second tilt axis (12) extends essentially perpendicular to the
first tilt axis (10) such that the operating surfaces (14, 16, 18,
20), when viewed in plan, are disposed in an essentially
cross-shaped manner on the control element (6).
10. Furniture drive according to claim 1, characterized in that a
further operating or control surface (22) is disposed on the
control element (6) by actuation of which a further control
function of at least one of the drive units can be triggered.
11. Furniture drive according to claim 10, characterized in that
the further control function is a return of all of the drive units
of the furniture drive into a starting position of the displacement
movement.
12. Furniture drive according to claim 10, characterized in that
the further control surface (22) can be actuated by pressing the
control element (6) in a direction perpendicular to the surface
thereof.
13. Furniture drive according to claim 10, characterized in that
the further control surface (22), when viewed in plan, is centrally
disposed on the control element (6).
14. Furniture drive according to claim 1, characterized by an
indicator (24), by means of which can be indicated which of the
drive units is respectively selected.
15. Furniture drive according to claim 14, characterized in that by
means of the indicator (24), the piece of furniture can be at least
partially schematically illustrated, and in that by means of
indicator markings, the arrangement of the drive units on the piece
of furniture can be illustrated.
16. Furniture drive according to claim 15, characterized in that
the indicator markings are formed by light-emitting diodes (26, 28,
30, 32).
Description
[0001] The invention relates to an electromotive furniture drive of
the type mentioned in the preamble of claim 1 for displacing or
adjusting parts of a piece of furniture relative to one
another.
[0002] Furniture drives of the pertaining type are known in
general. They have at least two drive units, whereby each drive
unit is associated with at least one part of the piece of furniture
for displacing the same. If the furniture drive serves, for
example, for the displacement of parts of a lattice structure, a
drive unit can be respectively associated with an upper body
support part, a head support part, a leg support part and a calf
support part of the lattice structure, so that by separate
activation of the drive units, the support parts of the lattice
structure can be displaced independently of one another. The known
furniture drive furthermore has a hand switch for the control of
the drive units that for the activation of each drive unit has a
pair of push buttons, whereby with activation of one of the push
buttons the drive unit displaces the associated part of the lattice
structure out of a starting position in the direction toward an end
position of the displacement movement, and upon activation of the
other push button displaces back in the direction toward the
starting position of the displacement movements.
[0003] A drawback of the known furniture drive is that its
operation via the hand switch is particularly obscure and
complicated if the furniture drive is provided with a plurality of
drive units in order, for example with the lattice structure, to
enable a multiple displacement of the support parts of the lattice
structure independently of one another.
[0004] It is an object of the invention to provide a furniture
drive of the type mentioned in the preamble of claim 1 that does
not have this drawback and the operation of which is thus
simplified.
[0005] This object is realized by the teaching of claim 1.
[0006] The invention is freed from the concept that for the control
of each drive unit two push buttons need to be provided. Rather,
the invention is based on the concept of enabling a successive
selection of the drive units of the furniture drive via a single
operating surface. For this purpose, the invention provides that
the hand switch have a first control or operating surface by means
of which the drive units of the furniture drive can be successively
selected in a first predetermined sequence for the control or
activation.
[0007] After selection of the drive unit that is to be activated
via the first operating surface, this drive unit can then be
controlled by further operating surfaces in such a way that the
desired displacement movement is achieved. Since respectively a
single drive unit is selected for the control, the further
operating surfaces can be used together for the control of all of
the drive units.
[0008] In this way, the number of the operating surfaces required
on the hand switch for the control of the drive units is
considerably reduced in comparison to the known furniture drives,
so that the operation of the inventive furniture drive is
considerably simplified and is made more comfortable.
[0009] In the simplest situation, the operation of a plurality of
drive units of the furniture drive can be effected with only two
operating surfaces, whereby the first operating surface serves for
the successive selection of the drive units, and a second operating
surface serves for the actuation of the respectively selected drive
unit. The control of the respectively selected drive unit can, for
example, be effected in such a way that upon activation of the
second operating surface the selected drive unit first displaces
the part of the piece of furniture associated with it out of a
starting position in the direction toward an end position of the
displacement movement, and upon reaching the end position and
continual activation of the second operating surface displaces the
part of the piece of furniture out of the end position of the
displacement movement back into the starting position.
[0010] The first operating surface, as well as possibly further
operating surfaces of the hand switch, can be embodied in any
suitable manner, for example on push buttons or some other desired
activating elements.
[0011] The hand switch can be connected with the drive units that
are to be activated via a line, for example a multi-conductor
cable, or in a wireless manner, for example via a radio or
infra-red connection.
[0012] Pursuant to one advantageous further development of the
inventive teaching, a second operating surface and a third
operating surface are provided, each of which has respectively
associated therewith a control function of the respectively
selected drive. If the selected drive unit serves, for example, for
the raising or lowering of a head support part of a lattice
structure, it is possible via the second operating surface to
activate, for example, the control function "raise" and via the
third operating surface to activate, for example, the control
function "lower".
[0013] In principle, it is sufficient if the drive units are
successively selectable via the first operating surface in a fixed,
predetermined sequence. However, pursuant to one advantageous
further development of the inventive teaching, a fourth operating
surface is provided by means of which the drive units can be
successively selected in a second sequence that is the reverse of
the first sequence. In this way, the sequence with which the drive
units are successively selected can be reversed. This further
improves the comfort of operation, since the respectively desired
drive unit can be selected particularly rapidly.
[0014] In principle, all of the operating surfaces of the hand
switch can be formed on separate control elements, for example on
separate push buttons. Pursuant to one advantageous further
development, the first operating surface and the fourth operating
surface are disposed on the same control element. In this way, the
construction of the hand switch is simplified and is hence more
economical.
[0015] The control element can be embodied in any suitable manner.
One extremely advantageous further development provides that the
control element be tiltably mounted about a first tilt axis,
whereby the first operating surface and the fourth operating
surface are oppositely disposed on the control element relative to
the first tilt axis in such a way that by tilting the control
element toward one side of the first tilt axis and by actuating the
first operating surface, the drive units can be successively
selected in the first predetermined sequence, and by tilting the
control element toward the other side by actuating the fourth
operating surface the drive units can be successively selected in
the second predetermined sequence. With this embodiment, the
control element is embodied similar to a joy stick. This increases
the comfort of operation and enables an intuitive control of the
furniture drive.
[0016] The control functions that can be triggered via the second
operating surface and the third operating surface can be any
control functions of the drive units. Pursuant to one advantageous
further development, the control function that is associated with
the second operating surface is a displacement of the part of the
piece of furniture that is to be displaced via the respectively
selected drive unit out of a starting position in a direction
toward an end position of the displacement movement, and the
control function that is associated with the third operating
surface is a displacement of the part of the piece of furniture
that is to be displaced via the respectively selected drive unit in
the opposite direction. This further increases the comfort of
operation.
[0017] The second operating surface and the third operating surface
can be disposed in any desired manner relative to the first
operating surface or the fourth operating surface, for example
being spatially separated therefrom. For example, the operating
surfaces can respectively be disposed on a separate push button,
whereby the push buttons are spatially separated from one another.
Pursuant to one particularly advantageous further development of
the inventive teaching, the second operating surface and the third
operating surface are disposed on the same control element on which
the first operating surface is disposed. With this embodiment, all
of the operating surfaces can be disposed on a single control
element. In this way, the number of control elements is reduced as
much as possible, so that the operation of the inventive furniture
drive is particularly straightforward, and the comfort of operation
is further increased.
[0018] Pursuant to one extremely advantageous further development
of the aforementioned embodiment, the control element is tiltably
mounted about a second tilt axis, whereby the second and the third
control element are oppositely disposed relative to the second tilt
axis in such a way that by tilting the control element to one side
of the second tilt axis and by actuating the second operating
surface, the control function that is associated with this
operating surface can be triggered, and by tilting the control
element to the other side of the second tilt axis, and by actuating
the third operating surface, the control function that is
associated with this operating surface can be triggered. With this
embodiment, the control element is embodied similar to a joy stick
that can be tilted toward four sides, whereby by tilting about the
first tilt axis, the drive units are successively selected in the
first or second predetermined sequence, and by tilting about the
second tilt axis the respectively selected drive is activated. This
enables a particularly straightforward and intuitive control.
[0019] Pursuant to a further development of the aforementioned
embodiment, the second tilt axis is disposed essentially
perpendicular to the first tilt axis in such a way that when viewed
in plan the operating surfaces are disposed on the control element
in an essentially cross-shaped manner.
[0020] In conformity with the respective requirements, there can be
disposed on the control element a further control surface by means
of actuation of which a further control function of at least one of
the drive units can be triggered. In this way, the control
possibilities of the furniture drive are expanded.
[0021] Pursuant to one particularly advantageous further
development of the aforementioned embodiment, the further control
function is a return of all of the drive units of the furniture
drive into a starting position of the displacement movement. For
example, if a user has adjusted a lattice structure that is
equipped with an inventive furniture drive into a sitting position,
and if the user wishes to return the lattice into a sleeping
position in which the support parts are provided with a common
horizontal support plane, The user can thus reset all of the drive
units into their starting position by actuating the further
operating or control surface. It is therefore not necessary to
separately and successively reset the individual drive units into
the starting position of the displacement movement. This way, the
comfort of operation is further increased.
[0022] Pursuant to a further development of the aforementioned
embodiment, the further control surface can be actuated by pressing
the control element in a direction perpendicular to the surface
thereof. With the embodiment having a control element that is
operable similar to a joy stick, the selection and control of the
drive units can thus be effected by tilting the control element,
whereas a return of the drive units into the starting position is
effected by pressing the control element. In this way, the comfort
of operation is still further increased.
[0023] Pursuant to a further development of the embodiment having
the further control surface, this surface, when viewed in plan, is
centrally disposed on the control element.
[0024] In principle, a straightforward and uncomplicated operation
of the inventive furniture drive is furthermore also possible
without visual controls regarding which drive unit has been
selected. To enable a visual control, pursuant to a further
development an indicator is provided by means of which can be
indicated which of the drive units is respectively selected.
[0025] With the aforementioned embodiment, by means of the
indicator the piece of furniture can be at least partially
schematically illustrated, whereby via indicator markings the
arrangement of the drive units on the piece of furniture can be
illustrated. In this way, the operation of the inventive furniture
drive is simplified still further, since the spatial association of
the drive units to the parts of the piece of furniture that are to
be displaced are indicated to the user.
[0026] Pursuant to a further development of the aforementioned
embodiment, the indicator markings are formed by light-emitting
diodes.
[0027] The invention will be described in greater detail
subsequently with the aid of the accompanying drawing, in which
embodiments of a hand switch of an inventive furniture drive are
illustrated.
[0028] The drawing shows:
[0029] FIG. 1 a schematic plan view onto a first embodiment of a
hand switch of an inventive furniture drive,
[0030] FIG. 2 a side view of the hand switch of FIG. 1,
[0031] FIG. 3 in a comparable illustration to that of FIG. 1, a
second embodiment of a hand switch of an inventive furniture
drive,
[0032] FIG. 4 in a comparable illustration to that of FIG. 2, the
furniture drive of FIG. 3, and
[0033] FIG. 5 in a comparable illustration to that of FIG. 1, a
third embodiment of a hand switch of an inventive furniture
drive.
[0034] In the figures of the drawings, the same or corresponding
components have the same reference numerals.
[0035] Illustrated in FIG. 1 is one embodiment of a hand switch 2,
of an inventive furniture drive, that serves for controlling a
plurality of drive units of the furniture drive, which drive units
are not illustrated in the drawing. The drive units can serve, for
example, for the independent adjustment or displacement of support
components of a lattice structure, for example of a head support
part, an upper body support part, a leg support part and a calf
support part.
[0036] The hand switch 2 has a housing 4 in which is disposed an
electrical or electronic switching unit that can be operated by
means of a control element 6 and is connected via a multi-conductor
cable 8 with the drive units for the control thereof.
[0037] In this embodiment, the control element 6 is pivotably
mounted about a first tilt axis 10, which in FIG. 1 is symbolized
by a dot-dash line 10, and about a second tilt axis 12, which in
FIG. 1 is symbolized by a dot-dash line 12, whereby the second tilt
axis 12 extends essentially perpendicular to the first tilt axis
10.
[0038] Formed on the control element 6 are a first operating
surface 14, a second operating surface 16, a third operating
surface 18 and a fourth operating surface 20, whereby the first
operating surface 14 and the second operating surface 20 are
oppositely disposed relative to the first tilt axis 10, and the
second operating surface 16 and the third operating surface 18 are
oppositely disposed relative to the second tilt axis 12. From the
drawing it can be seen that the operating surfaces 14, 16, 18, 20
are disposed on the control element 6 in the manner of a cross. The
control element 6 is furthermore provided with a further operating
surface 22, which is centrally disposed on the control element
6.
[0039] Pursuant to the invention, by means of the first operating
surface 14 the drive units of the furniture drive can be
successively selected in a first predetermined sequence. If the
furniture drive is provided, for example, with four drive units, of
which respectively one serves for the displacement of a head
support part, one for an upper body support part, one for a leg
support part, and one for a calf support part, then the drive units
can, for example, be selected by the first operating surface 14 for
example in the sequence "calf support part-leg support part-upper
body support part-head support".
[0040] By means of the fourth operating surface 20, the drive units
can be selected in a second sequence in reverse to the first
sequence, in other words, for example in the sequence "head support
part-upper body support part-leg support part-calf support
part".
[0041] For the control of the respectively selected drive units,
the second support surface 16 and the third support surface 18 have
respectively associated therewith a control function of the drive
unit. For example, the second operating surface 16 can have
associated therewith the control function "raise" and the third
support surface 18 can have associated therewith the opposite
control function "lower".
[0042] By pressing the control element 6 into the plane of the
drawing in FIG. 1 at the further support surface 22, a further
control function can be triggered, which with this embodiment
comprises a return of all of the drive units of the furniture drive
into a starting position of the displacement movement.
[0043] With this embodiment, the hand switch 2 is furthermore
provided with an indicator 24 by means of which it can be indicated
which of the drive units is respectively selected. In this
embodiment, the indicator 24 essentially comprises light-emitting
diodes 26, 28, 30 and 32, whereby the light-emitting diode 26
symbolizes the head support part, the light-emitting diode 28
symbolizes the upper body support part, the light-emitting diode 30
symbolizes the leg support part and the light-emitting diode 32
symbolizes the calf support part of the lattice structure, and by
illumination of the respective light-emitting diode 26, 28, 30, 32
indicates that the drive unit associated with the respective
support part is selected.
[0044] The inventive furniture drive functions as follows:
[0045] If the support parts of the lattice structure are in a
starting position of the displacement movement, in which they
provide a common, horizontal support plane, and if the user wishes,
for example, to adjust the calf support part, he or she then first
selects the drive unit associated with the calf support part. If in
so doing, for example, the drive unit associated with the head
support part is first selected, which is indicated by illumination
of the light emitting diode 26, the user then selects the drive
unit associated with the calf support part such that he or she
tilts the control element 6 about the first tilt axis 10 by
pressing down on the operating surface 20 three times until the
selection of the drive unit associated with the calf support part
is indicated by illumination of the light emitting diode 32.
[0046] After the selection of this drive unit, the user tilts the
control element 6 about the second tilt axis 12 by pressing down
the control element 6 at the second operating surface 16. As a
consequence, the drive unit associated with the calf support is
activated and raises the calf support part in the desired manner.
When the desired adjustment position is achieved, the user releases
the control element 6. In a corresponding manner, the drive units
associated with the further support parts can be selected, and in
particular either in the first predetermined sequence by actuating
the first operating surface 14, or in the second predetermined
sequence by actuating the fourth operating surface 20. After
selection of the desired drive unit, the latter can be activated by
means of the second operating surface 16 and the third operating
surface 18 for carrying out the desired adjustment movement,
whereby the control function "raise" is triggered by the second
operating surface 16, and the control function "lower" is triggered
by the third operating surface 18.
[0047] If the user wishes to return all of the drive units into the
starting position of the adjustment movement, in which the support
parts of the lattice structure provide a common horizontal support
plane, he or she presses down the further control surface 22 of the
control element 6. As a consequence, all of the drive units are
activated such that the support parts of the lattice structure are
displaced back into the starting position.
[0048] The hand switch 2, via a single control element 6 that is
embodied similar to a joy stick, thus enables a control of a
plurality of drive units of the furniture drive. In this way,
operation of the furniture drive is considerably simplified and is
intuitively designed, thus considerably increasing the comfort of
operation. Due to the fact that only a single control element 6 is
required, the inventive hand switch 2 is straightforward and hence
economical to manufacture.
[0049] FIG. 2 shows a side view of the hand switch 2 of FIG. 1,
whereby the double arrow 34 symbolizes that the control element 6
is mounted on the hand switch 2 in such a way as to be tiltable
about the second tilt axis 12.
[0050] In FIG. 3, a further embodiment of an inventive hand switch
2 is illustrated that differs from the embodiment of FIG. 1 in that
the transmission of control signals from the hand switch 2 to the
drive units is not effected over a cable, but rather in a wireless
manner, for example via a radio or infra-red connection.
[0051] In FIG. 5, a third embodiment of an inventive hand switch 2
is illustrated that initially differs from the embodiment of FIG. 3
in that the operating surfaces 14, 16, 18, 20 are respectively
formed on a separate push button 36, 38, 40, 42, whereby the push
buttons 36, 38, 40, 42, are arranged in a cross-shaped manner.
Disposed centrally between the push buttons 36, 28, 40, 42 is a
further push button 44 on which is formed the further control
surface 22.
[0052] The indicator 24 in this embodiment is formed by an LCD
display 46, on which the lattice structure with its support parts
is schematically illustrated; and by means of a light bar 48 there
is indicated which drive unit is respectively selected.
[0053] Also with the embodiment of FIG. 5 a simple and intuitive
operation is made possible, and hence a high comfort of operation
is achieved.
* * * * *